Tadej Pogacar calls for cycling calendar overhaul amid Tour de France heat
Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar has urged organisers to completely revamp the cycling calendar and avoid summer racing to protect competitors from severe heatwaves.
Stage nine of this year’s race from Malemort to Ussel was shortened by 30km on Sunday following a red heatwave alert in the Correze department.
Temperatures have consistently exceeded 30C and peaked at 40C since the Grand Depart in Barcelona.
The extreme weather has already caused severe disruptions, with stage three in the Pyrenees taking place without spectators due to surrounding wildfires.
Extreme temperatures demand drastic changes
The Slovenian believes the sport must adapt to increasingly dangerous summer conditions to ensure athlete safety.
“In my opinion it’s a big topic to discuss but if I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places.”
The two-time reigning champion also proposed significantly earlier start times to avoid the brutal midday sun.
“You need to start at eight or nine, or even before.”
He suggested that professional athletes could adapt to 5:00 am wake-up calls if it meant preserving their physical health.
Riders and union echo safety concerns
The Professional Cyclists Association (CPA) has supported these demands, insisting that start times must evolve to protect competitors.
Recent stage winner Tim Merlier highlighted the constant struggle to stay hydrated while racing in relentless heat.
“It’s a fight to have water, ice and drinks between the cars, so for me it’s a good idea to shorten the stage.”
Australian veteran Luke Durbridge admitted that while the race has always experienced hot days, the current unbroken consistency of the heatwave is entirely exceptional.
Historically, the three-week Grand Tour is synonymous with July, testing the endurance of the world’s best cyclists across grueling mountain stages.
However, with modern racing speeds increasing and global temperatures climbing, the physical toll on the peloton is reaching unprecedented levels.